There's Life After This
by taught to dream
Summary: What happens after the battle in Deathly Hallows? How does life continue? Where do they go from here? This is the lives of our beloved characters between the end of the battle and the beginning of the Epilogue. Author's note added! New chapters soon!
1. Chapter 1: After the Battle

Authors Note: Well here it is. My first fan fiction, much less Harry Potter in quite a few years. A note to people **there are Deathly Hallows spoilers, MAJOR spoilers, so if you don't want to know or haven't read the book yet, then don't read this story!** This story is going to take place within the missing 19 years of DH's. From the end of the main part of the book, and ending right before the epilogue. Feel free to leave reviews and constructive criticisms, I welcome and appreciate them all, and if at all possible I'll try and reply to them if need be. :) Enjoy the story (though there's not much action in this part of it)!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I'm not as of yet rich enough to purchase the rights of the Harry Potter franchise. And I can rightly say I never will be. All I can hope is that I one day make a name for myself, though it probably won't be through my writing. All characters and places belong to the amazing J.K. Rowling. Only the events (that haven't been hinted at in the epilogue, such as births and whatnot) in the years in between belong to myself.

The day had been so long, so devastating, so rewarding. The best and the worst day Harry could ever have ever imagined.

He thought of Fred, of Remus and of Tonks. Lives cut short, that could have been so long and so filled with joy and happiness. It was so hard to believe just how many people had died in the war.

His thoughts drifted to Teddy, a few months old and no parents to speak of. It was something Harry could relate to quite well. His heart broke for that little baby, even though Harry knew Teddy would grow up with a totally different childhood than he himself had. A life filled with love and people who cared deeply for him, and no horrors in the world to deal with at such a young age.. He thought of the possibility of becoming the godfather for Teddy, that Sirius could not be for he himself. But to grow up without parents, his rightful parents, was something he knew Teddy would have to deal with as he grew older and understood the world a bit better. Harry was sure he could be someone Teddy could talk to when that time came.

As his thought drifted he sighed as he looked at a dark spot at the top of his four-poster bed, reflecting. Ron was down in the Great Hall with his parents and Hermione, they had passed by the Great Hall in returning to the Gryffindor tower after speaking with Dumbledore's portrait. Ron and Hermione decided to stay with the Weasley's who were mourning Fred.

He knew he should have stayed as well, but he couldn't bear the thought of being surrounded by so many people at the moment as much as he wished he could. People would ask questions, they always did. Especially of him, this all happened because of him. And he couldn't bear to be around so many dead bodies. He shut his eyes. They were so lifeless.

He knew the Weasley family, especially George would never be quite the same without Fred. When you thought of the Weasley's the twins were right there at the top. Their humor so brightening even at the darkest of days. And it was quite hard to believe, that there would be only one twin now roaming the aisles of the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes stores in the near future. The war had claimed so many wonderful lives in the short hours the battle had been fought.

And then it hit him, it was over. Finally. Seventeen years culminated to this day, the day the Dark Lord was finally defeated. And Harry was exhausted mentally and physically, from the past 7 years. At this moment all he wanted to do was to sleep.

And so he did, the darkness engulfed him as he amazingly had a sleep without dreams and nightmares and instead had a sleep of darkness and peace for the first time in 17 years.

…

He awoke to the muffled chatter of voices, all of which he recognized. Harry groaned, the events of the day hitting him like a brick wall. It was night now he realized as he opened his eyes. The sun did not shine through the windows of the room. The battle having been won in the early hours of the morning, he realized he had lingered in peaceful sleep for far too long, but it was quite welcome. The voices stopped when they realized a shift in the recently sleeping form, and the curtain to the bed pulled wider to a sea of redheads, and one bushy-haired brunette, Harry fumbled to get his black, round glasses, placed squarely on his head.

"You're awake, finally!" Ron's voice drifted from behind Ginny's flaming red hair, as she gave him a swift, but lighthearted slap. She smiled, though it faltered.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Mrs. Weasley's voice drifted from behind both Ron and Ginny, Harry could hear the hurt in her voice as he found her eyes, bloodshot red, from weeping.

He couldn't imagine why she would be worried about him, there was so much other stuff to be dealing with. She had lost a son. But then he thought of the numerous times Mrs. Weasley had been open at considering him as good as a son, welcoming him as a mother would, as best as she could. And he realized he had a family with them, he was just one more son that she had all but adopted.

"Fine," he mumbled as he sat up, his hair standing on end awkwardly. Sections of his jet-black hair, going off in all directions. He couldn't see it, but he knew his hair and he knew it had a mind of it's own.

The sound was small and muffled at first, the attempt of a person trying to contain it at the sight of Harry's hair (and because the idea of laughter at the moment was probably something that would not be accepted). But the giggles could not be contained and the beautiful sound of Ginny's laughter filled the dormitory.

At first the others, Ron, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione, looked at Ginny with a little curiosity and with more than enough hesitation, before they to allowed themselves a right old giggle at the sight of Harry's hair. It was as if the darkness of the day and what they all had gone through was lifted just slightly at that moment, for the moment. Harry looked at them curiously before shaking his head, a smile playing on his lips, and feeling a bit better than before, as they stopped.

He would have expected to have seen Ron and Hermione here (and maybe even Ginny), but not Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He knew they all might have been worried about him, but they had much more to deal with at the moment, he was sure. There was something they wanted, and it hung in the darkness of the room.

It was Hermione's voice that broke the silence. As it always was, Harry thought in retrospect, Hermione was always the first to say something, anything.

"Oh, Harry, I know that you've gone through so much, we all have. Well the students who stayed behind, the one's that survived have been sending out owls all day. There are so many parents that have been crowding Hogsmeade and the school grounds trying to find their children, trying to understand what happened today." She started, breathlessly continuing, "And the newspapers and the ministry, they're all here. You don't have to... you don't have to say anything really. But it all happened so fast and people who weren't here, they're trying to grasp what happened. Lord┘" the word hadn't been said in so long, and for a minute fear stopped Hermione from saying it, before she continued. "Lord Voldemort's body was moved, so it wouldn't cause any more problems, you know how people are. People just want to know what happened. They're so disbelieving about everything, because of everything that's happened in the past year." Hermione finished quickly, shaking just a little.

Ron put his arm around her, giving her an encouraging smile, which she returned meekly, before he turned to Harry once again.

"She's right. They're all so thick-headed at the moment. I mean we all saw what happened. But you know how people are." Ron said, finishing with a shrug and a slight nod of his head (hinting toward Percy, Harry was sure). "But you know once they see you, and hear you say it, they'll believe you."

"In the end, people always do. You know, believe you. Even if it doesn't seem like it, Harry. You're the only one that hasn't been telling lies since it all started." Ginny finished, giving him a smile. Which he returned in earnest. It was so good to see her alive and well, he thought for a moment. He remembered the moment where she had been so close to dying, when she had been so close to the Killing Curse hitting her

Harry took in what they were saying and closed his eyes. It was never ending. People should just get on with it. He shouldn't have to shout it out to the world. But the wizarding world was a very shaken place now. Over the past couple of years so many things they had been told eventually became untrue. And with Voldemort having taken over basically the hierarchy of the ministry and the media, people were quite unsure of what to believe now.

All the stuff about Sirius, and they only gave his reprieve until after he had died. Then they printed untruths about him and then they denied the truth of Voldemort being back.

He sighed in resignation. Maybe this would be it, this would be his last work, as the 'Boy-Who-Lived', but maybe that would be a little too much to hope for.

He slowly swung himself out of bed, and they all followed him downstairs (with Mrs. Weasley desperately trying to flatten out his unruly hair) and out into the Great Hall where most of the people were located. It was time to get the truths of the past year out into the open (to a point, some things would stay secrets between he and his companions), to calm people's fears, and to finally be able to say that there was truly nothing to worry about anymore.

The first time people could say that in over seventeen years.

A/N: I've got to get through all the depressing and uneventful stuff before we can get to the meat of the story. Next chapter, you can expect a bit of baby!Teddy, some funerals, and a bit more of wrapping up the events that happened in the end of the main story of the book. Not necessarily in that order. I promise things will get more exciting as time goes on! And I haven't gotten the character's voices spot on yet, I will keep working on that :)

I have big plans for this (possibly splitting the 19 years up into three sections of their lives). I'm not sure if they'll all work out how I think, but we shall see :) Again, reviews are loved (and ye shall recieve a virtual cookie for them haha)!


	2. Chapter 2: Two Funerals and the Baby

CHAPTER 2

A/N: I would first like to say, thanks so much for you guys who reviewed! I really appreciate it. (hands everyone a cookie, and Ilan a chocolate chip one) And I'm SO sorry, it's been so long since I've updated from the first chapter. I went on vacation for a week, and then moved into dorms for university, so I've been busy for the past two weeks. But here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the empire of Harry Potter, and am not receiving any money for this story or characters. All of it belongs to JK Rowling, except for events that may occur that she never talked about. Also if you haven't read the author's note from the 1st chapter about what goes on in this story, and how it relates to the 7th book and beyond, then you REALLY might want to do that. I've given enough warnings I think, so I'll stop with those after this.

…

A few days had passed since Harry's defeat of Lord Voldemort. Most of the questions had been answered, parents concerns placated unless their child had died, then there were more tears and more anger. The only good thing coming of it that they could say their child died protecting Harry Potter. That they died for a good cause.

But even that was not good enough for all of them. Having to bury a child was probably the most horrible thing they would ever have to deal with

The press flew with stories about the battle, and it was at these that Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were looking at while seated in the Great Hall

**The Secrets Behind the Downfall of the Dark Lord**

**'Boy-Who-Lived', now 'Boy-Who-Lived-And-Defeated-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'. **

They still didn't want to say it. His name. Lord Voldemort. There was still hesitation. Harry scoffed at it, as he threw the paper on the table in front of him. It really wasn't that hard. Ron glanced at the second headline, and laughed.

"They'll really go out of their way to not saying it." Ron muttered pushing the paper down the table even more.

_I guess seventeen years of avoiding saying it takes time to reverse._ Harry thought as he sighed and looked around.

The Great Hall was eerily empty. The dead had been taken by families to be mourned and buried with honor. The injured taken to St. Mungo's for treatment and healing. The remaining students had been sent home for the summer, parents left with them, and the press and ministry had gotten the information they needed so they were gone as well. The remaining teachers were attempting to re-build and fix parts of the school that had been destroyed in the battle.

The school was to open in the fall and life would continue. Time to move onto a better future.

The Weasley's, as well as Harry and Hermione, would return to The Burrow in a matter of days, to lay Fred's body to rest. Meanwhile the task of where Lupin and Tonk's bodies would be laid was at the forefront of Harry's mind. The decision had been laid in his hands.

"I've got to head back to Tonk's parent's house, I'm sure her monther has an idea of where she's to be laid to rest, considering she's got to lay her husband to rest as well, and maybe Lupin can be placed beside her." The image of his parents gravestone's covered in snow, etched in his memory. He wanted the same for his father's good friend and his wife. Hermione nodded solemnly at this.

"What about Theodore?" She asked. Harry stared at her, and Ron looked at Harry.

"Well Harry's not going to raise him, are you, mate?" Ron asked.

"Well I sure can't take care of a kid. Not now anyways."

He was going to add_, Because I'm practically a kid myself_. But that wasn't true anymore; all three of them had grown up quicker than normal in the situations they had been put through. They were fully fledged adults now.

Harry thought for a minute or two. "I'm sure his grandmother will be okay caring for him for a while… and then we'll see." He couldn't imagine caring for a baby himself, at this moment in time. He still had to get his personal life into order, and that was hard enough. But in the future, it was definitely something he would consider, thinking of Sirius and his offer to live with him.

Harry sighed as he got up from the table, the other two following as they headed to Tonk's family home.

When they arrived, Mrs. Tonk's answered the door dressed in black robes, they spoke about the burial of Tonks, and when Harry questioned her about Lupin, a small smile placed on her lips.

"I never hated him you know." She said, swiftly, tears coming to her eyes. "I only wanted the best for my daughter, and I could only see them being shuttered away from society. Because… because of what he was." Her tears fell freely.

"We never said it outright, but I know he always believed we hated him. Now after all that's happened, it just seems so stupid, we should have welcomed him with no hesitation. I think you're right, they should be buried together. I know they wouldn't have had it any other way." She sighed as a baby started crying. They all got up and walked to a room down the hall.

It was a gorgeous room, the walls painted magically of an amazing landscape with mountains and deep green trees, the leaves moving softly in an imaginary wind, a twilight sky, with bright stars sparkling and twinkling behind clouds and trees. Harry knew without a doubt that when it was morning these walls would be bright and shining. Even now magical thing still never ceased to amaze him.

And there lying swaddled in a soft looking blanket, was Theodore Remus Tonks-Lupin. Hermione smiled when she saw him and basically glowed when she saw him. Babies always seemed to do that to girls. Ron gave her a wary look, but she didn't notice, as Mrs. Tonks picked Theodore up, rocking him a little, still wrapped in the blanket, as she cooed at him.

She gave Harry a look and he nodded awkwardly taking Ted into his arms, as the baby settled and smiled up at him. He had sandy-blond hair when they walked into the room, and now lying in Harry's arms, his hair was a bright shade of purple. Harry smiled and laughed.

"He looks just like Dora when he does that." Mrs. Tonks said softly, as she looked at the baby in Harry's arms. Harry nodded as he rocked the child slowly, he wasn't sure what he was doing as he had never really been around babies ever, but Teddy seemed okay, so Harry figured he was doing something right.

"I know that they left me as his godfather," Harry started, quietly, "but I don't think I can raise a child just yet. Technically, I, we haven't even finished school yet." She nodded understanding.

He sighed as he placed Teddy back into his grandmother's arms, when the child started to calm and his eyelids were almost closed.

The rest of the things were dealt with and plans made for what was to happen, with the funerals being arranged to occur after Fred's so they could attend both (and since only a small group would be attending Remus and Tonk's funeral). The three then apparated back to The Burrow, where the rest of the family was now located.

Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen quietly cooking dinner, the flick of her wrist, wand in hand half heartedly (and the meal later wasn't nearly to the same standard as it normally was in The Burrow). They said 'hello' briefly and continued into the house. There was a very solemn feeling throughout, even though the whole family was somehow squished into the house. Fred's body was placed in Fred and George's old room, which had been cleared out. And George was sharing a room with Ron for the moment. The rest of the day was uneventful, the house moderately quiet, except for sporadic short burst of laughter, as stories were passed around in quiet mostly, about the twins antics.

…

As with anything either of the Weasley twins did, instead of a small affair for Fred's funeral, it seemed like half the school had come. The service was being held in the field surrounding the Weasley's home, and it was full of people.

Instead of a solemn affair, like the feeling that had been surrounding the house the last few days, this instead was quite the jovial affair. People were chatting and laughing and joking about old stories that they had to share about Fred. It was exactly how Fred would have wanted it.

Many of the Gryffindor's who had grown up with Fred (and George of course) had shown up as did various other kids from other houses, and all were reliving good, happy moments from the past. Teachers from Hogwarts attended as well, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley mingling among them.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were nestled among students their age (while George was with other students he had gone to school with). Seamus kept trying to bring up the topic of the battle, but that was definitely something the others avoided talking about.

Ron had his hand in Hermione's, and Ginny was sitting awfully close to Harry, without actually touching him. Harry hadn't brought up the topic of their relationship, even though the threat that they had split up for was now gone. He had pretty much been avoiding her since he had arrived.

Not that Ginny hadn't tried, but Harry was going to avoid the conversation until he could get his own life sorted out. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Ginny, because he wanted to be, he just wanted to make sure he would be able to give all his focus to her when they did get back together.

"And then mum said she'd lock his arms to the side of him if he ever did it again." Ron finished his memory of Fred, the group breaking into laughter from the guys and giggles from the girls, which flowed through the open air of the field they were in.

The rest of the funeral (the service included) was filled with tears and laughter of shared memories and a touching, and so very Fred and George styled event when George set off a variety of fireworks of a new style he and Fred had been creating that they never were able to finished and put into their stores because of the war.

The fireworks, ending up being more brilliant, more unique, and more incredible than any fireworks had ever been. It had more colors than one could ever imagine, filling the slowly darkening evening sky, enhancing the view of the sunset. It was definitely one of the most beautiful and memorable funerals any of them had ever witnessed.

…

The funeral's for Mr. Tonks, Nymphadora, and Remus was altogether different from Fred's. It was a much more private affair with only Mrs. Tonks, Teddy, Harry, Hermione, the remaining Order, as well as the remaining Weasley family (Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, George, Percy, Charlie, Bill (and Fleur), Ron, and Ginny attending.

They all mingled in Mrs. Tonk's yard afterwards, with Teddy being passed around by everyone. Mrs. Weasley especially coddled him more than the others. Teddy cooed at everyone, but was especially comfortable with Harry. Harry couldn't help but think about how similar things had started out for the both of them. Teddy looked up at him, a tiny smile on his face. Harry bounced him a little, as Teddy changed his hair from an orange color to black.

It wasn't until after the funeral that Mrs. Weasley questioned him about Teddy.

"So you're going to let her take care of him?" She asked as they all (minus Bill and Fleur who had returned to their home, and Charlie who had left for Romania to see how things were going there and George who was back in the shops trying to get things back on track) relaxed in the living room.

It seemed that since people in the outside world seemed to be getting back to normal, they all had to go along with it, for fear or somehow being left behind.

Harry nodded. He had a feeling, especially after seeing her with Teddy, that Mrs. Weasley would have openly welcomed the chance to have a baby back in her house to care for again.

"Considering he is her grandson, and Lupin never mentioned or talked about his own family that could be living, it's just the best for him at the moment." Harry said, briskly, not wanting to get into it with her. It had been an eventful week for all of them, and they could finally settle and relax as they all headed off to bed.

A/N: I posted this years ago, and unfortunately never started on the 3rd episode, so I can't really recall where I was going to go with this at that time. Now though, I can go where I want, since I kind of left it open.

What's next? IN the next couple chapters I have a feeling I'll be delving more into the Hogwarts recovery. Ginny and Harry's relationship. The Trio discussing their plans for the near future. And whatever else that comes to mind while writing.

As always comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc. are quite appreciated.


	3. 2010 Author's Note New Chapters Soon!

I posted an apology a year ago about how I failed to keep up with this story that I started in 2007. That's being replaced by this one. Again I'm sorry for my failure to keep up with this story.

But I am determined to work on it. I've got another month of summer to hold onto, and then into my senior year of college. So hopefully I can get a roll on the chapters now so that I'll have enough to keep me going through this year coming up.

I've edited my previous chapters. Just little things like editing the structure of sentences, nothing new was added. Added a new little note to the end of the 2nd chapter about what's to come.

Keep an eye out. Something new will be arriving soon.


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